Catalogue relating to an exhibition, 2006
Published by: New-York Historical Society
Year published: 2006
Number of pages: 64

Small but substantial catalogue produced to accompany Legacies: Contemporary Artists Reflect on Slavery, an exhibition that took place at New York Historical Society, June 16, 2006 - January 7, 2007. The exhibition brought together examples of work by artists such as Faith Ringgold, Carrie Mae Weems, Fred Wilson, Whitfield Lovell, Mel Edwards, Lorenzo Pace, Betye Saar, Marc Latamie, and Willie Birch.

The exhibition presented a fascinating and compelling range of works, though the artists tended to come from African-American or African Diaporan backgrounds, suggesting that it was such artists alone who were able to make cogent work reflecting on various aspects of slavery, the slave trade and the legacies thereof.

From the preface to this catalogue, by Louise Mirrer, President and CEO, and Linda S. Ferber, Vice President and Museum Director, New York Historical Society: “We are proud to present Legacies: Contemporary Artists Reflect on Slavery, the largest and most important exhibition organized to date on this timely and significant topic. The project is inspired by the New-York Historical Society’s pair of groundbreaking exhibitions that investigate the history of slavery in New York. The acclaimed Slavery in New York drew record attendance during its recent run; Civil Wars: New York and Slavery 1815 - 1870 promises to be a landmark presentation as well. Legacies brings into the present the issues raised in these two exhibitions by demonstrating how a generation of eminent contemporary artists has contemplated the way in which the history of racially-based slavery has shaped our society.”

Contents as follows:

Note by Rodney J. Reynolds, Founder & Publisher, American Legacy Magazine

Note by Louise Mirrer, President and CEO, and Linda S. Ferber, Vice President and Museum Director, New York Historical Society

Lenders to the Exhibition

Three pages of Introduction/Notes by Lowery Stokes Sims, President, the Studio Museum in Harlem, Exhibition Consultant

Plates of work, plus brief explanatory notes on the work, relating to each of the works exhibited. (Leslie King-Hammond and José J. Mapily, and Bradley McCallum and Jacqueline Tarry contributed collaborative works.)

A work by Algernon Miller, in addition to a reproduction of his work earlier in the catalogue, appeared on the back cover of the catalogue, while Kara Walker’s work was used on the catalogue’s cover.